Kenya is championing digital integration, value addition and innovation-driven trade to strengthen competitiveness and inclusive growth across the Comesa region.
This, as it seeks to tap opportunities in the regional trade blocs and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), even as it pushes for a trade deal with the US after the lapse of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) on September 30.
Kenya Revenue Authority and Comesa are piloting electronic certificates of origin to ease regional trade, cut paperwork and reduce processing times, a regime already being adopted by Eswatini, Malawi, Zambia and, from August 1, 2025, Zimbabwe, which stopped accepting paper certificates altogether.
It cuts processing time by up to 80 per cent and reduced costs by at least 50 per cent, making trade transactions seamless, efficient and cheaper.
During the official opening of the 18th COMESA Business Forum in Nairobi, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki called on regional leaders and the private sector to accelerate digitisation in trade, as the continent pushes to increase intra-Africa trade currently at a low of 14 per cent.
This is compared to Europe's roughly 60-70 per cent and Asia's 50-70 per cent, with the disparity highlighting Africa's challenge in achieving regional integration and global competitiveness.
“Digital transformation creates a more dynamic business environment, including promoting initiatives like the system of Electronic Certificate of Origin and smart border concepts to facilitate the flow of goods and services,” said Kindiki.
With President William Ruto taking over the Chairmanship of Comesa at the Nairobi Summit, Kenya is expected to champion a new era of regional integration focused on using digital tools to deepen value chains and enhance competitiveness.
“The goal is to move beyond the export of raw materials and create more sophisticated, higher-value products that can be traded within the region and globally,” Kindiki said.
Comesa Secretary General Chileshe Kapwepwe noted steady growth in intra-Comesa trade to almost $14 billion (Sh1.8 trillion), with innovating trade facilitation tools like the Regional Customs Guarantee Scheme and Yellow Card System, which have become continental standards.
The Regional Customs Transit Guarantee Scheme is a system where a single customs bond or guarantee is used for goods in transit across multiple countries, simplifying the process and reducing costs compared to using separate bonds for each border crossing.
The Comesa Yellow Card Scheme is a regional motor insurance system
providing third-party liability cover for vehicles traveling in member states.
Kenya is part of the recent entry into force of the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area deal, which creates Africa’s largest integrated market.
Comesa offers a market of 682 million population in the 21 member states.
Last year, Kenya’s foreign exchange earnings from exports to the Comesa region decreased by 2.8 per cent from Sh341.1 billion in 2023, to Sh331.7 billion, the Economic Survey 2025 by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics indicates.
Kenya is using the Comesa summit to push for bi-lateral trade deals, according to Investment, Trade and Industry CS Lee Kinyanjui, who has reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to driving policy reforms that strengthen regional competitiveness.
“The recommendations that will emerge from this forum will not remain as mere words but will be distilled into the Comesa Business Declaration,” Kinyanjui said.
" We must break down barriers, enhance cross-border trade and improve border efficiencies to make the movement of people, goods and services seamless. Kenya is leading by example, abolishing visas for all African countries and adopting easier payment systems, bold steps that make trade faster, simpler and more inclusive."
Kenya is keen to diversify its market, tapping opportunities in the continent that come with the AfCFTA and other trade blocs including EAC.
